Ginny created her very own Pokémon Go trainer cosplay shortly after the game launched using colorful fabrics and a god-given gift with a sewing machine. Since then, the cosplayer has been flooded with commission requests from fellow trainers.

When I created my Pokémon Go trainer’s costume at light speed the weekend after the game was released, I had no idea that it would explode into thousands of new followers and dozens of commission requests. Unfortunately, I’m really not the commissioning type — I barely have enough time to sew for myself as it is! But what I can do for all the Pokétrainer hopefuls out there is walk you through how I put together my costume, so you can take a stab at your own! – Ginnydi.com

Those looking to create a cosplay with a different trainer color scheme need only to substitute the fabric colors!

Unfortunately Ginny’s tutorial does not cover how to create your trainer’s backpack, but creating one shouldn’t be too difficult. Just acquire a plain black or white backpack and decorate it with fabric and markers. Buying (or re-purposing) a backpack is kind of cheating, but it sure as hell beats trying to create a backpack with structural integrity.

After the costume has been created, finish the look by accessorizing it with a pokéball and a plush version of your favorite Pokémon!

Bonus points if you can get your hands on a pokédex.

Ready to recreate this look? Check out Ginny’s full tutorial to get started!

The fashion show was hosted by actress and Her Universe founder Ashley Eckstein, who showed up to the event wearing an incredible LEGO dress designed after her Star Wars: The Clone Wars character, Ahsoka Tano.

But even more impressive than Ashley’s dress were the creations of the contestants in the fashion show.

Each contestant competed to win the honor of designing their own fashion collection with Her Universe. The winner’s collection will be exclusive to Hot Topic – Her Universe’s retail partner for SDCC three years running.

After all was said and done, two winners were crowned as geek couture goddesses by the judges and the audience:

Judges Winner:Imperator Furiosa by Hannah Kent

Audience Winner: Marauder’s Map by Camille Falciola

The Remaining Contenders:

Voting may have taken place on the main stage, but a third contestant is still eligible to win the grand prize! Check out the remaining contenders in the gallery below, and don’t forget to vote for your favorite look!

Voting ends at midnight (Pacific Time) on Thursday, August 11th.

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Check out all the footage from the Her Universe Fashion Show by signing up for Comic-Con HQ, a streaming service for everything and anything Comic-Con. Plans start at $5, but a free trial is available!

Last year, GeekGirl World attended the Her Universe Fashion show, and it was a spectacular event for geek couture and nerd fashion! Her Universe and fashion retail partner Hot Topic will be hosting their premiere geek couture runway fashion show again this year on July 21 at 6pm at the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel during San Diego Comic-Con. The third annual Her Universe Fashion show will once again offer fans and aspiring designers the chance to submit their pop culture inspired designs to compete on the runway for the unique opportunity to design their very own collection exclusively for Hot Topic stores. The Her Universe Fashion Show has been one of the biggest special events at Comic-Con since it’s inception, and this year it is poised to be even bigger as they make bold strides to further enhance the experience of the show.

The submission process is NOW OPEN for up and coming designers 18 years or older. One of the biggest changes this year will be the opportunity for designers in the Southern California area to submit their designs to Her Universe and Hot Topic judges at the Hollywood and Highland location of Hot Topic in Los Angeles on April 23, starting at 10am. If you don’t live in the Southern California area, or can’t make it to the open call, no worries, because ALL designers (including those who attend the open call) will still need to submit their entries online. However, online submissions will now have the additional option of adding a video explanation to present their idea to the judges. Get those submissions ready, folks! The deadline for ALL applications (including those planing to attend in-person at the open call in LA) is 11:59pm PST on Sunday, April 24, 2016. Submit your designs for consideration here! GOOD LUCK!

Original sketches from last year’s winning fashion show designers, Kelly Cercone (Joker’s New Look) and Leetal Platt (Usagi’s Transformation). The design competition submission process for the 2016 Her Universe Fashion Show is now is open for designers to submit their own women’s fashion designs based on anything that is celebrated at Comic-Con, original or inspired by popular media

Once the call for submissions closes, twenty-five designers will chosen and notified on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. These twenty-five finalists will be given the opportunity to compete on the runway in the Her Universe Fashion Show at SDCC for the grand prize. The entire process from start to finish will be filmed as part of a docu-series set to air on the new Comic-Con HQ channel. Plus this year, in addition to the judges choice winner and audience choice winner at the show, a third winner will be selected by the viewers on the Comic-Con HQ channel at home!

Designer Kelly Cercone models her own geek couture design, Joker’s New Look: Batman, which won last year’s Judge’s Choice in the 2015 Her Universe Fashion Show.

“My favorite part of The Her Universe Fashion Show has been getting to know all of the designers behind the scenes…With the new docu-series on Comic-Con HQ, fans will get to know each designer and follow their process and journey to the runway at SDCC. There are so many talented designers out there that just need the opportunity and platform to showcase their skills. I encourage fans to submit and no experience is necessary!”

– Ashley Eckstein, Her Universe Founder

“We always put the fans and community first at Her Universe and the fashion show is an example of our mission.”

Along with her hosting duties for the fashion show, Eckstein will serve as Executive Producer in association with the Ashley and Jennifer Tisdale company, Blondie Girl Productions (Young & Hungry) on the docu-series for the Comic-Con HQ channel.

Her Universe is returning to WonderCon! This year WonderCon is at the Los Angeles Convention Center March 25-27, and Her Universe will be hosting two panels and a portfolio review. So aspiring artists, designers, and writers, here is your chance to get noticed!

The Her Universe “Geek Couture” Fashion Show at San Diego Comic-Con, co produced by Hot Topic and Her Universe has been a hit for the past two years. GeekGirl World was there last year when the winner was chosen and we covered some of the amazing outfits hitting the runway. In preparation for this year’s 2016 fashion show, during the “Her Universe Fashion Show Update” panel at WonderCon (Friday, March 25, 2pm to 3pm in room 502B), attendees will hear the latest information on submissions for the fashion show and get to be the first to see the new collection designed by last year’s winners, Leetal Platt and Kelly Cercone. Ashley Eckstein, SVP of Her Universe and voice of Star Wars Rebels‘ Ahsoka Tano, will be headlining the panel along with executives from Hot Topic to give aspiring fashion designers advice on how they can get their designs in the market.

Her Universe Press, the publishing imprint of Her Universe, will be sponsoring the “Calling All Aspiring Writers/Her Universe Press” panel (Saturday, March 26, 2pm to 3pm in room 515A). Ashley Eckstein is hosting this panel for fans and writers who are working on getting their novel published. During the panel, attendees will be able to get advice from published authors Heather Nuhfer (Weirdest), E. Anne Convery (The Confidence Chronicles),and New York Times, USA Today and #1 International bestselling author Christina Hobbs who writes under the penname “Christina Lauren” with her writing partner.

At the “Her Universe Geek Fashion Portfolio Review” (Saturday, March 26 from 10:30am to 11:30am in room 150), fans and designers looking to either submit entries to the The Her Universe Fashion Show or just break into the fashion business, can share their portfolio with industry professionals from Her Universe and Hot Topic and get tips and advice on how best to prepare to show their work.

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Finally, for those attending WonderCon, you can go check out the Her Universe boutique (booth #1225) where they will debut new geek fashion designs and apparel from Star Wars, Marvel, Doctor Who, Star Trek and more. Her Universe continues to make their mark in geek fashion by offering a bevy of option for all sizes with fun casual to dressy choices for ladies to show off their geekyness to the world. One of the major debuts at the booth will be the Her Universe Marvel activewear collection for juniors inspired by Captain America: Civil War. This first of it’s kind collection will be sold at Kohl’s stores nationwide and at Kohls.com the end of March in anticipation of the movie hitting theaters in May.

If you haven’t seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens yet, then shame on you! But for those of you who have, then what better way to celebrate this box office smash than by expressing your love of your favorite new character through fashion. I don’t believe there are any spoilers here, but just in case I’m going to err on the side of caution and say that if you really haven’t seen it, SPOILERS.

It’s becoming more popular every holiday season: shop small, buy local, support small businesses. Depending on who you talk to, you’ll find all kinds of reasons consumers are shying away from the traditional shopping grounds like the mall or department stores or large specialty chains. There are some who despise the crush of the crowds, many who don’t like the early morning lines, and still others who want to passively protest what they feel is the commercialism of the holidays.

The choice to buy from small business has been gaining traction, especially in the last five years since American Express founded the official event known as “Small Business Saturday”, where the Saturday after Black Friday is devoted to focusing on smaller mom n’ pop type shops, or any business that isn’t known for being part of a corporation or large chain.

While the economic blood still belongs to the veins of Black Friday sales and arteries of Cyber Monday deals, according to Forbes.com, Small Business Saturday has the projected potential to get $15 billion flowing through the smaller capillaries of the economy.

Taking fair advantage of niche buying habits of geeks, nerds, and fandom lovers, three geeky entrepreneurs local to Las Vegas have tapped into the natural inclination of fans be more discerning in their purchases. Melanie Davis, Kimberly*, and Allison Cosson all started their small business for different reasons, but they all share the same entrepreneurial spirit that it takes to succeed in a growing competitive market.

Melanie Davis, The MAD Girl With a Box, just started up her business this last September. Barely in the game for even a month, Melanie brought together five other local artists to launch her mobile shop-on-the-go. Customers browse around inside a refurbished trailer, picking up everything from My Little Pony skirts to Teenage Mutant Ninja make up bags.

Plates and glasses etched with Harry Potter quotes, jewelry from several fandoms, and quirky wall art are as much a decoration in the cozy trailer as they are merchandise.

Melanie says that one reason for her mobile shop is to “provide a new avenue to market handmade items[…] without relying on conventions” where tables or booths could range “anywhere from $50 to $300.” By keeping the venue cost low, crafters could put more of their investment into better quality items and collect a larger profit at the end of the day.

“I would like to make this my primary business so I can make my own hours and manage my own company.” But Melanie, who also works as a copy editor for Caesar’s Entertainment, is just as invested in her co-crafters’ futures as she is her own. “I work with a few wonderful artists that act as vendors and supply me with my merchandise,” she explains. Buying from her small business doesn’t just benefit her; it also means customers are helping “the artists that are trying to make some extra [money] to support their own families.”

On the other end of the spectrum is Kimberly, the Girl With One Eye, who has been running her own business since 2011. In the small business world, 4 years practically makes Kimberly a veteran. (That old statistic about 80% of new small businesses failing in the first year is too varied to track, but it’s safe to say that 4 years is a healthy run)

The Girl With One Eye is most often seen in convention booths surrounded by homemade clothing and accessories that would beckon over any patron into retro or Harajuku style Gothic Lolita clothing. The mix at the booth is a little June Cleaver sprinkled over some Wednesday Addams melted over Betty Page.

Kimberly says that she only offers items that she’d be proud to wear, and because of that she was unsure how well her first geeky pieces would sell. “It soon became clear that there were a lot of people like me out there who wanted things that were both cute and geeky, so I shifted to focus on more geeky prints.”

Kimberly comes from a long line of sewers and crafters, and because of this she’s had a long time to hone her skills. “I was so used the quality and creative freedom that homemade clothes had to offer that sewing and creating things for myself to wear was just the next step.”

The impetus for starting her own business followed a diagnosis with a rare form of cancer. “I decided that instead of feeling sorry for myself, I would use this as the inspiration to start the clothing business I had always wanted to do!”

Long term goals for the Girl with One Eye include expansion in both employees and distribution. Kimberly would like to be able to hire a real staff, or at least pay the friends who help her with her creations. Her “ultimate goal,” she admits, would be “to grow GW1E to the level where I will be able to make both custom, one of a kind pieces of clothing, as well as ready to wear clothing that I could wholesale to big box stores!”

Somewhere flexible in between is Allison Cosson who owns Nerdful Things. A contributor to the co-lab efforts of MAD Girl, Allison has also spent the last two years keeping her own Etsy shop stocked with an array of housewares like fandom-themed pub glasses, glass-etched beer steins, and shot glasses, video game inspired key holders and jewelry, and vinyl decals. Fans of the Nightmare Before Christmas, Harry Potter, and German folklore figure Krampus will find holiday decorations available.

A fixture at many craft fairs and shows in town, Allison’s attractive displays draw all kinds of customers. And while always happy to move her available stock, she says, “If I can create anything your heart desires, I will. Custom orders are more fun to fill I think.”

Allison started making most of the items she now sells out of necessity. “I wanted [and] needed things that represented my grandma and they weren’t readily available, or if I could find them they were outside the price I was looking to pay.” So instead she turned her desires into a crafty collections of unique pieces that eventually expanded into fandom-worthy merchandise. “They’re things I’m interested in and want in my own house,” she says.

Unlike Melanie and Kimberly, Allison’s goal is keep Nerdful Things “mainly as a side business.” Keeping her small business manageable is a challenge for her. “I mostly just enjoy the making part and customer interaction.”

And really that’s what small businesses are all about. While the goals of entrepreneurs vary, one thing is always the same: positive customer relationships are essential. “I think small businesses don’t get the recognition they deserve most times. It’s hard to start from scratch and try and build up a customer base,” says Allison. Very often a new startup will reach out to family, friends, neighbors, and eventually social media. With online stores like Etsy, easy to assemble websites like Wix, and a consistent Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Yelp updates, a hobby has the potential to quickly turn into a business.

But it’s not enough for the crafter to just advertise and display his or her work. Customers have to keep the snowball rolling too. “If you have a great experience at a local store, share it! Tweet, like, Yelp, post, spread the word! Any bit of advertising is good for the business and would be appreciated by any small business owner up against the big stores,” informs Melanie.

Allison agrees. “Other than a direct sale, a person that believes in your product and is willing to tell everyone about it is the most important thing to a small business owner.”

And because these are not manufactured products but handcrafted items, customers can know that every item they buy is “a piece of [our] talent, [our] knowledge, and [our] blood, sweat, and tears,” impassions Kimberly. “Not only are they buying a one of a kind, wearable piece of art, they are buying it from me, an individual who they quite often get to meet and talk to face to face.”

Despite the love of Black Friday and the traffic of Cyber Monday, the trend of supporting small businesses seems to focus not just on avoiding mass consumerism during the holidays, but redirecting where one’s dollar goes. The current thinking seems to be “We’re going to buy, we’re going to spend, so let’s make that spending count.”

This Small Business Saturday, consider transferring some of your space creds to geeky artists and crafters like Melanie, Kimberly, and Allison. You can show your support of friends and relatives who run their own businesses, or browse any number of shops that specialize in homemade and handcrafted specialties, too. However you spend your money this holiday season, make your dollars count in ways that will benefit those who are working uniquely for you!

Can you believe that Halloween is already upon us?! If you haven’t picked out your costume already, then there’s two basic rules you should follow before you decide on the perfect one:

Don’t be cliche

Don’t be offensive

To help ensure that you don’t make a fool of yourself during your Halloween festivities, we’ve compiled a list of 10 costumes that should be avoided at all cost!

1. Harley Quinn

Harley Quinn has always been a popular choice for Halloween, but her popularity has risen to a totally different level since the Suicide Squad trailer was unveiled at San Diego Comic Con.

Any variation of Harley Quinn (including Arkham Asylum) is just going to be unoriginal, overdone, and just plain meh this Halloween.

You may think I’m merely making an assumption here, but I recently spent some time at New York Comic Con, and, shit you not, if I took a shot for every Quinn cosplay I saw, I’d be deader than dead. Literally every other woman was dressed up as Quinn.

So… lest you want to become the joke of the party, avoid dressing up like Dr. Harleen Quinzel this year.

Exception: Gender bender Quinn.

Image credit: halloweencostumes.com

2. A Knockoff

If you’re not sure what I mean by this, then just to any costume store and look at the costume titles. A Mario (Super Mario Bros.) costume is normally labeled under “plumber costume”, and Katniss Everdeen is simply “archer lady.”

These costumes always just end up looking cheap, and super fans of the original character will always point out to you what’s wrong with your costume.

If you plan on going this route, then make sure to pick up some RC Cola on your way to the party!

Exception: Home made character costumes. Those are always charming, and while they may not be precise, they highlight your mad costume making skills and are excellent conversation pieces.

Image credit: halloweencostumes.com

3. Power Rangers

There is usually always a group of friends at the Halloween party who thought that dressing up like Power Rangers would be a great idea.

In reality, you’ll find that not only are these costumes overdone, but they’re annoying.

Men, be prepared to make some people super uncomfortable when your your junk is center stage in that flimsy fabric, and women, make sure you invest in Spanx (unless you want to go totally commando, because ALL undergarment lines will show) and be prepared for the absolute nightmare that is bathroom breaks. Pro tip: don’t break the seal.

Exception: Dressing up as a Power Ranger in armor form. Now THAT’S badass.

Image credit: halloweencostumes.com

4. Cultural Costumes

Innocent as your intentions may be, the chances are pretty high that you’ll offend someone with your super cute Native American costume.

Save yourself an earful and avoid all cultural costumes completely.

Exception: Tonto from Lone Ranger. Because Johnny Depp.

5. A Hashtag

Do I even have to explain why you should avoid this costume? #NO

Exception: NO EXCEPTIONS

Image credit: amazon.com

6. Sexy Versions of Unsexy Things

I personally do not like dressing up all sexy for Halloween, but I have absolutely nothing against women who do. If you have a killer body, show it off in a sexy costume, by all means! Halloween is designed for role playing and imagination (even if you are leaving none to it).

But there needs to a line drawn when it comes to what is considered sexy.

Let’s do a quick rundown of what’s sexy and what’s not, just to give you a basic idea of what to avoid:

Black Widow: Sexy!

Sesame Street Characters: …ew

Wonder Woman: Super sexy!

Dora the Explorer: WTF is wrong with you?

Honestly, if it wasn’t sexy to begin with, then don’t try to make it that way.

Exceptions: Honestly, I don’t know.

Image credit: thedcam.com

7. Caitlyn Jenner

Seriously? Don’t be that dickhead at the party who thought this was a good/funny idea.

Caitlyn may be all over the news and tabloids these days, but dressing up like her as a joke, lighthearted as it may be, is actually extremely insulting not only to her, but to the transgender community as a whole.

Use some common sense and courtesy and leave this tasteless costume on the shelf to wither and die.

Exception: Just don’t.

Image credit: toynktoys.com

8. A Nurse

You’ll feel hot and confident wearing this costume, but the reality is that it’s just sooo overdone.

It’s the typical choice, and that’s not a good thing.

Oh, and what’s even worse than the standard nurse costume? The nurse costume with syringes for alcohol shots. Talk about trashy.

Exceptions: Nurse Joy from Pokemon, unsexy zombie nurse.

Image credit: halloweencostumes.com

9. Donald Trump

Political costumes are a perennial favorite and are often overdone in general, but if you are going this route and want to stand out from the crowd of faux candidates this Halloween, then you might want to avoid dressing up like Donald Trump.

His high profile nature, eccentricity, and ridiculous hair all make him a popular costume choice, so expect to see him on Halloween more than any other would-be presidential candidate.

Instead, why not try dressing up like a stoner version of Bernie Sanders or something? Just spitballing here.

Exceptions: Oh, I don’t know, zombie Trump?

Image credit: complex.com

10. Elsa (or Anna)

I love Frozen as much as the next gal, but just let it go already (lame pun absolutely intended).

This costume is way too popular, and honestly, there are plenty of other Disney ladies who need some love.

Maybe try dressing up as Merida? Or what about Mulan? Jasmine? There are way too many options!

Exceptions: I think having everything zombified is the ultimate exception.

Image credit: costumeexpress.com

What other costumes should be avoided this Halloween? Let us know in the comments! And for more costumes to avoid, check out last years list!

The greatest holiday of the year is quickly approaching and what better way to celebrate than through fashion. Halloween has always been one of my favorite times of year, not only for the candy, but because everyone can dress up as anything they can imagine. It is a chance to be what you’ve always wanted to be, to let loose and do something completely out of your comfort zone, and just have fun. Growing up I always celebrated Halloween by watching all the classic 80’s horror movies and wanted to use those as inspiration this week. I know Billy and the SAW movies are far from 80’s, but he has such a classic look I included him as well.

This week is Face Off’s 100th episode! For this monumental occasion, Mckenzie has the artists meet her in a rather odd location. In the Pasadena Mausoleum we find Mckenzie with seven couple’s pictures on tablets on the table next to her. For this week’s challenge, the artists will need to pair up, choose a couple, and create a whimsical macabre theme, i.e. Beetlejuice, unique to each couple’s personalities.

Once the couples are transformed, Mckenzie, being an ordained minister, will then marry them on the reveal stage in a fantastic celebration unlike any other. The artists choose their partners, much like the engaged couples, and then also choose a couple to work with.

Ricky and Jordan’s couple loves video games, and can’t be more enthusiastic to work with elements they are familiar with as well and decide on a shock theme. Ben and Jasmine’s couple are total cat people, and would like a Beauty and the Beast element. Scott and Stevie have a couple that got engaged while Christmas Caroling, and want to use that as their main inspiration. Jason and Missy decide to go with a suicidal, together forever theme, while Meg and Nora are excited to have a couple with two grooms that they can have one be in drag. Libby and Brittany get a couple that love nature, and while they can easily see the whimsy in it, pulling out the macabre will be difficult. Kevon and Evan go with a classical angelic and demonic concept including wings for both characters.

Lisa and Tom (Ben and Jasmine)

Charlotte and Serge (Ricky and Jordan)

Kelly and Reid (Brittany and Libby)

Lia and Andrew (Scott and Stevie)

Jamie and Chris (Kevon and Evan)

Andrew and Casandra (Jason and Missy)

Michael and Devon(Meg and Nora)

At the reveal stage each couple presents themselves before the judges as well as their closest family and friends. After the judges take a closer look, Mckenzie then performs the group wedding ceremony, unable to hold back tears when each couple has their first married kiss. After the ceremony the couples and their families leave so that the judges are able to give their critiques. Libby and Brittany, Scott and Stevie, and Kevon and Evan are safe this week. Jason and Missy are on the bottom this week despite their thinking they were a top look. Glenn points out their anatomy is all wrong, and their paint is too muddy to be whimsical. With them is Meg and Nora who cause Ve to ask if they even know what whimsy is (I honestly have no idea either). The top looks go to Ricky and Jordan whose dayglow paint and beating heart gag won the judges over, and Neville especially liked the forms of each character. Also in the top was Ben and Jasmine whose characters not only had amazing profiles before the lights went up, but were exactly what whimsy is with yarn horns and stunning paint. Because the judges felt the paint on their female character was so spectacular the win this week goes to Jasmine.

After the winners were announced, it was time to cut the cake and pop the champagne! The couples celebrated along with their family, friends, artists, and judges. The episode ended with a “to be continued” as no one was announced to leave the show yet.

What did you think of these couples putting so much faith into each artist for such a special day an who do you think will be headed home?

The DJ plays and the lights dim, all around me the buzz of excitement can be heard. Everyone’s ready for the Her Universe Fashion Show to begin. This is the second year the fashion show is coming to San Diego Comic-Con, and it’s quickly becoming a staple of the convention. We are welcomed by a video from the night’s host and creator of Her Universe, Ashley Eckstein. In this video she explains the inspiration behind Her Universe, and how amazing it is to have this female oriented celebration of “geek couture” at San Diego Comic-Con. For years, girls have been told that we don’t belong in the geek world, and to be happy with the clothing that’s available to men. Her Universe knew that there were fangirls out there waiting for their geek fashion dreams to come true.

“Nothing epitomizes the transition of girl geek culture into the limelight quite like the rise of Her Universe.” – TIME

The fashion show begins, and we’re treated to a look at the current Her Universe line. It’s a bold reminder of how far girls have come in the geek industry to see how many fandoms are catering to us now. It’s also refreshing to see plus size models on the stage. Her Universe always creates fashions with every consumer in mind, and it’s beautiful to see the plus size girl represented in the spotlight. As the fashions make their way down the runway, I can see every girl making a mental note of which pieces they still need to own.

Ashley Eckstein appears in her first geek couture look of the night designed by last year’s audience winner, Andrew MacLaine. The first look is inspired by Star Wars and Princess Leia. It’s a gorgeous gown, complete with a sparkly, flowy cape. Throughout the night two other geek couture looks were premiered, each one more incredible than the next. Her second look is inspired by Black Widow, and is ready to kick ass and demand the respect of everybody in its presence. The third and final look is inspired by Haku the river dragon from Spirited Away. From every angle this gown is breathtaking; it was made in honor of Ashley’s reveal of the night that Her Universe’s next line will feature Studio Ghibli. The president of Studio Ghibli was actually in the audience, and received a standing ovation when he was introduced.

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The new Her Universe line has designs featuring Kiki’s Delivery Service and My Neighbor Totoro as well as Spirited Away. The styles range from cute fashion dresses to simple racer-back tank tops. There was a lot of excitement heard when the new cardigans were spotlighted. All pieces were featured in plus sizes with plus size models. Being able to see models of varying shapes and sizes on the runway, really gave you a better sense of what the clothing would look like when worn by you, and that made getting to view the premiere of the new line that much more exciting!

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The 25 finalists displayed their designs down the runway. Immediately the audience is blown away by the first design “Cutie Makes Her Mark – My Little Pony’ by Jessica Gonzalez. This gown features a pink cotton candy train that can be turned inside out to display a striped blue and pink pattern or the train can completely come off and the gown transforms into a party dress! All 25 designs were so creative and beautiful. Finalist Jennifer Newman created a “Unicorn In The Waves” look inspired by The Last Unicorn (one of my favorite movies), and I never knew that so much emotion could be captured in a piece of clothing, but just by looking at this gown you could see the elegance and freedom experienced by the unicorn when she returned to the ocean. “Party Like A Monster – Monster High” by Lauren Andrews reminded us that being girly and playing with dolls is geeky too. Kristin Koga gave us “The Greek Couture Burger (comes with tzatziki sauce) – Bob’s Burgers” showing us that high fashion doesn’t have to be a gown. Her design was cool and screamed hipster artist living in New York city. Harmony Leiker’s “Cocktails At The End of The Line – Tron” literally lit up the runway with her illuminated fabric. Adria Sanchez-Chaidez made the audience gasp with “It’s Bigger On The Inside – Doctor Who”. Her design featured a coat made to look like the TARDIS from Doctor Who, when the coat was taken off a beautiful dress was revealed that was inspired by the inside of the TARDIS. Tara Reich’s “That’s No Moon – Star Wars” look featured a high fashion skirt inspired by and made to look like the Death Star. Sam Skyler had an adorable design that featured a coat inspired by armored Baymax and revealed a white bubble dress underneath to complete the Baymax look. Finalist Laura Ortiz had a Jack Skellington inspired gown complete with a light up Zero. Oseas Villatoro stunned the audience with “Poison Ivy Green Love – Batman”, his gown featured a flowing green train reminiscent of growing ivy and the hairstyle on the model was fit for the grand prize at a hair show. Jesse Thaxton’s gown isnpired by Alien’s was rightly named “Alien Queen”; I’m positive the dress could’ve stood up on it’s own, and in the right light frighten anyone who looked upon it. Each of the designs featured on the runway left such an incredible impression, they’ll not easily be forgotten. I know these designers are inspiring a new generation of geek fashion as we speak. All of the 25 finalists beat out thousands of entries, and that in itself is an amazing feat, they’re all truly winners.

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That being said this was a competition and only two can be chosen. The winner chosen by the judges was “Joker’s New Look – Batman” by Kelly Cercone. Her design was a 50’s inspired Joker themed look that Grace Kelly could’ve worn. The colors were undoubtedly Joker, but the pallete was done in a way that wasn’t jarring, and accessible to all audiences. I feel that this played a huge factor into why she was chosen. The audience chosen winner was “Usagi’s Transformation – Sailor Moon” by Leetal Platt. Her design began as cute dress inspired by Sailor Moon’s school uniform and then it gorgeously transformed into Sailor Moon’s transformation sequence. Pink satin billowed all around the gown and it was a magnificent sight to behold, especially when modeled by the beautiful Chloe Dykstra.

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I know we’re all saving our money in anticipation of the exclusive Hot Topic fashion line the winners get to design.

The night ended with Her Universe inviting fashionable audience members up on the stage to strut their stuff. Ashley Eckstein then revealed the most exciting news of the night: San Diego Comic-Con is teaming up with Lionsgate for their new video on demand subscription channel, and this year’s Her Universe Fashion Show is going to be the first original series made by the channel. Viewers will get to see all of the behind the scenes action leading up to the Fashion Show! We’ll all definitely be keeping a look out for that. This year’s fashion show was filled with such creativity, I don’t know how next year can top it, but I can’t wait to see.